(CNN)–Mitt Romney's headed to the hometown of the man he'd like to kick out of the White House.

The former Massachusetts governor and all-but-declared 2012 Republican presidential candidate will be in Chicago Thursday to meet with business owners and talk about jobs and the economy.
Romney, who also made a bid for the GOP nomination in 2008, is considered a front-runner at this early stage of the presidential cycle–due to national and state polling, his strong campaign organization, and fundraising.

Chicago happens to be President Barack Obama's hometown and the city where he's headquartering his re-election campaign.

"Gov. Romney is going to take his strong pro-jobs message to every part of the country. The failure of President Obama to lift the nation out of its economic problems has created misery for millions of Americans, including in his home state of Illinois," Andrea Saul, spokesperson for the Romney for President Exploratory Committee, told CNN.

Illinois's unemployment level stood at 8.7 percent in April, slightly below the nine percent national jobless level, according to figures from the Labor Department.

Just last week Obama traveled to what could be considered Romney territory. The president headlined two fundraisers for his re-election campaign and the Democratic National Committee in Boston, the city where Romney is headquartering his presidential exploratory committee.

The DNC has often criticized Romney for what they say is his tendency to change his stance on issues. DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan told CNN that Romney "may be ordering deep dish today, but knowing Mitt Romney I'm sure he'll flip and order thin crust tomorrow."

soundoff(19 Responses)

diridi

Romney may be GOP thug's front runner, but Obama is going to be next POTUS......

May 25, 2011 03:03 pm at 3:03 pm |

John

The Republican are just wasting Time , With that Paul Ryan Plan they all voted for Is going to be all but done. They will lose control of the House and lose seat in the Senate. And there Is no way American people are going to let they win to be President.

May 25, 2011 03:08 pm at 3:08 pm |

thomas

When will Mitt explain to the american people why none of his four sons volunteered for military service , maybe they were needed on Wall Street ?

Commander in Chief " Mitt " Romney, NO THANKS !

May 25, 2011 03:09 pm at 3:09 pm |

Rudy NYC

Have you noticed how every Romney "pre-candidacy" fund raising event is described by his PR people as a jobs conference or summit of some kind with the local, prominent business leaders?

May 25, 2011 03:10 pm at 3:10 pm |

maikl

I was vote for Obama and what i get? Nothing. Go Romney, go. Take our country back. GO,GO,GO.

May 25, 2011 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

lynn

Weren't more jobs what the RNC ran on last election? Unless you count the politicians who won the seats, not one job has been created under their leadership. Only when companies are forced to increase hiring will there be more jobs. Right now there's no need to hire more, the employees are working double shifts for fear of losing their job. The profits are just fine thank you, why hire more and lose their big dollars?

May 25, 2011 03:24 pm at 3:24 pm |

Obama Biden 2012 and Beyond

Romney Vs. President Obama? Yawn.....ZZZZ. Please do me a favor and wake me up when Mr. Obama takes the oath for President again. Hopefully "Justice" Roberts can get it right the next time around.

May 25, 2011 03:25 pm at 3:25 pm |

Rudy NYC

Yeah, the governer has a problem with changing direction according to how the winds are blowing. I cannot deny that, which makes think that maybe, .... , maybe I should call him Mitt Aeronomy.
(Google "Aeronomy", Much time is spent measuring atmospheric tides through wind directions and speeds.)

May 25, 2011 03:25 pm at 3:25 pm |

Claudia, Houston, Tx

Not only is Chicago Obama's territory it's also the home of Obama's former Chief of Staff Emmanuel Rahm, it's a bold move for Romney that won't yield results.

Be careful about kicking anyone he might break a leg. Then again, not only is mitt boy super rich (cheney would have been dead decades ago too) he has state insurance from MA the number 2 state in healthcare. But . . . . Who is looking at what he did then and what he says now!

May 25, 2011 03:32 pm at 3:32 pm |

oregonian101

I was watching the O'Reilly factor the other day and he was interviewing a right wing radio host. He said that Mr. Romney has been labeled a flip flopper and he asked his guest to comment. The guest said that was an accurate description. I was a little surprised that O'Reilly would basically provide the DNC with more ammunition against one of the two or three electable GOP candidates. I would not vote for Romney, but, he is still more moderate than the Bachmans and Palins of the party. Huntsman doesn't look too bad. Too bad Gingrich got hammered by wingers of the GOP. His stance on Medicare will be the stance that the GOP nominee will need to take to get elected.

May 25, 2011 03:39 pm at 3:39 pm |

Joan

It is pretty hard to picture Romney getting the huge, warm response that President Obama has received in both Ireland and England. Reports from British media are really positive and stress the genuine fondness the Queen has for both of the Obamas. President Obama is single handedly trying to gain back some of the respect that the US lost during the last administration. Also, has Mr. Romney not checked the economic statistics carefully? You did not go into a depression, the stock market is rebounding, unemployment is slowly going down, the auto industry did not collapse causing massive lay-offs, crime along the borders is down, millions of people have more secure health coverage and the list could go on and on. It seems that Mr. Romney is considered the front runner for the Republican nomination and he may get it but he may have a pretty tough time in a general election.

May 25, 2011 03:44 pm at 3:44 pm |

gt

how about you guys go to joplin... they could use a few helping hands there.... instead of the constant " i want your money" pathedic...

May 25, 2011 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

DLR1969

When this 2012 race starts this will be a very nasty race on both sides!

May 25, 2011 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

Shawn

Flip-Flop Mandate Mittens isn't even liked by Republicans. There is no way he could beat Obama.

May 25, 2011 03:55 pm at 3:55 pm |

The Day of Financial Reckoning is HERE - The Great Democrat Welfare Society Ends

The DNC has often criticized Romney for what they say is his tendency to change his stance on issues.
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And Obama has not??? Sure you want to go there DNC?? Your man lives in a glass house just begging for stones!